Simulator arrangement

ABSTRACT

A screen simulator arrangement includes spaced apart screen and one or more mirror means; said screen means is formed with a plurality of spaced apart transparent portions therein; said mirror means is formed or provided with a plurality of holes or openings therein; said screen and said mirror means are fixedly located relative to each other; the transparent portions of said screen means and the holes or openings of said mirror means are substantially out of register one with the other. An inner screen surface of said screen means and a reflective surface of said mirror means generally face inwardly towards each other, said transparent portions of said screen means and said holes or openings of said mirror means being so out of register one with the other, such that screen portions of said screen means are in substantial alignment/register with holes or openings in said mirror means. The arrangement is such that projection means spaced apart from an outer surface of said mirror means projects images at said outer surface and through said holes or openings therein so that imagery will appear on said screen portions of said screen means in substantial alignment/register with said holes or openings in said mirror means. The imagery is then reflected by reflective portions of said mirror means, so as to be viewable through said transparent portions in said screen means from a position spaced from an outer surface of said screen means.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a screen simulator arrangement whichsets out to provide a person or persons with a substantially realisticsimulation of surroundings and/or happenings.

Simulator arrangements are currently known which, generally speaking,comprise cabins, housings, cockpits, seats and the like, from whichprojected imagery of surroundings, happenings, rides, flights or othermovement or surroundings is/are viewed. Often this is viewed insubstantial synchronisation with inertial effects. For example, in manycases such simulators are used for flight training and/or the trainingof motor vehicle drivers. This is however by way of example only. Invarious cases, however, simulator arrangements are used forentertainment and amusement purposes.

One of the important features of the screen simulator arrangements knownup until this time is the screening system, whereby imagery is screenedto a viewer or viewers, such as to give a realistic simulation ofsurroundings and/happenings. To a large extent, less sophisticated unitspreviously known and available project imagery for viewing directly ontoa video or film screen. On the other hand, more sophisticatedarrangements attempt to present imagery at virtual infinity. Imagesshown at virtual infinity appear to be beyond framing borders of thescreen; indeed, they appear to be outside the screen or capsulecontaining the screen.

Many of the commercial type-virtual imagery simulator arrangements knownup until this time suffer from practical limitations of size, weight andcost, in that the systems are often confined to small windowsimulators--for example, simulators of fighter-bomber windows; submarineperiscopes, gunsights and the like. While adequate for these purposes,they are not appropriate/adequate for use in entertainment systems,where large capacity is required.

Further, in entertainment systems, imagery is often viewed directly onscreens such as to appear as flat imagery situated at the screenposition. The extent to which realism can be contrived from directlyviewed screens is limited and, generally speaking, of a poor quality.

By way of example, screen simulator arrangements previously disclosedare known from international patent specification No WO 89/09431, U.S.Pat Nos. 2,132,904, 2,511,702, 3,198,066, 3,316,053, 3,480,346,3,741,638, 4,167,311 and United Kingdom patent specifications Nos147,404 and 167,340.

It is an object of this invention to provide a screen simulatorarrangement which provides enhanced realism and/or depth of imagery.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a screen simulatorarrangement which increases capacities and enhances the imagery of thesimulator arrangements known up until this time.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a screen simulatorarrangement which overcomes or at least minimises problems and/ordisadvantages apparent in screen simulator arrangements disclosed andknown up until this time.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the followingdescription.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a screensimulator arrangement, including spaced apart screen means and one ormore mirror means; said screen means being formed with a plurality ofspaced apart transparent portions therein and said mirror means beingformed with a plurality of holes or openings therein; said screen andmirror means being fixedly located relative to each other; thetransparent portions of said screen and the holes or openings of saidmirror means being out of register one with the other; a screen surfaceof said screen means and a reflective surface of said mirror meansgenerally facing inwardly towards each other; said transparent portionsof said screen means and said holes or openings of said mirror meansbeing so out of register one with the other, that screen portions ofsaid screen means are in fixed substantial alignment/register with holesor openings in said mirror means; projection means being spaced apartfrom an outer surface of said mirror, such as to project imagery at arear surface of said mirror means and through said holes or openingstherein, so that said imagery will appear on said portions of saidscreen surface in substantial register with said holes or openings insaid mirror; inwardly facing reflective portions of said mirrorreflecting imagery from said portions of screen surface through saidtransparent portions of said screen means, so as to be viewed from aposition spaced apart from an outer surface of said screen means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

This invention will now be described by way of example only and withreference to the present invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial, diagrammatic side view of a screen simulatorarrangement according to one form of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial, diagrammatic side view of a screen simulatorarrangement according to a further form of the present invention and

FIG. 3 is a partial, diagrammatic side view of a screen simulatorarrangement according to yet a further form of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The invention will now be described by way of example only and withreference to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated howeverthat the drawings are diagrammatic only and are used to describe, by wayof example only, the various forms of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, it should be appreciated thatthese drawings show by way of example only the arrangement andrelationship between the screen and one or more mirrors in the presentinvention, although the simulator arrangement will normally be found tobe located within an appropriate housing or cabin, in which persons maybe seated. In practice, such a housing or cabin 1 may have a body andwindow openings at the front and at each side, and in particular awindow opening 2, within which is a window 3 of, for example, polarisingglass. Arranged behind said window 3 is the housing 1, locating thescreen and mirror means, in association with appropriate projectionmeans. The screen means 4 and mirror means 5 are spaced apart andfixedly mounted (such as by brackets or frames 6) relative to eachother. The screen means 4 is formed or provided of any appropriatescreen material while the mirror means 5 is formed or provided of anyappropriate mirror or reflective material.

The arrangement of the present invention includes at least one screenmeans 4 which has an inner screen surface 7 (for example adapted to haveimagery projected thereon) while having a plurality of transparentportions 8 extending therethrough. A rear or outer surface 9 of thescreen means 4 extends outwardly so as to be viewed by one or moreviewers. As stated, the screen means 4 is provided with a plurality ofspaced apart transparent portions 8 therein, which can be of transparentmaterial or can be a plurality of holes or openings extendingtherethrough. Thus, the screen is in essence a partial screen, having aplurality of transparent portions or holes or openings 8 extendingtherethrough. The transparent portions in the screen are preferablydistributed substantially uniformly thereover to produce a substantiallyuniform distribution of spaced apart screen portions on the innersurface 7 of the screen, which in essence form image or screen pixels7a.

The transparent portions (holes/openings) 8 in the screen 7 should besufficiently small to be individually indistinguishable at a viewingdistance.

The screen simulator of the present invention further includes one ormore mirror means 5 which are spaced apart from the inner screen surface7 of the screen means 4. As will be described hereinafter, the presentinvention is described with reference to one screen means 4 and onemirror means 5, although if desired a plurality of mirror means can beprovided spaced apart from and in association with the screen means 4,so that a reflective surface 5a of the mirror means 5 faces the innerscreen surface 7 of the screen means 4.

In the preferred form of the invention, the mirror means 5 is spacedapart from the screen surface 7 and is provided with a plurality ofholes or openings 10 extending therethrough, so that in essence, apartial mirror is formed. The screen means 4 and mirror means 5 aremounted within the housing 1 (such as by brackets or frames 6 and thelike) so as to be fixedly secured relative to each other, with thetransparent portions 8 of the screen means 4 and the holes or openings10 of the mirror means 5 being substantially out of register one withthe other. This in essence means that the portions/pixels 7a of theinner screen surface 7 of the screen means 4 will be in substantialalignment/register with openings or holes 10 in the mirror means, whilereflective portions or pixels 5a of the mirror means 5 (separated by theholes or openings 10 in the mirror means 5) will be in substantialregister with transparent portions or openings 8 in the screen means 4.

The holes or openings 10 in the mirror means 5 are preferably uniformlydistributed, and are preferably of such a size as to be individuallyindistinguishable at a viewing distance.

Projection means 20 are located rearwardly of the mirror means 5 andproject imagery towards the rear surface 5b of the mirror means 5, sothat the imagery passes through the holes or openings 10 in the mirrormeans 5. This imagery passing through the holes or openings 10 in themirror means 5 is shown on the screen pixels 7a on the inner surface 7of the screen means 4, this imagery then being reflected in reflectiveportions or pixels 5a of the mirror means 5, to be viewed through thetransparent portions 8 in the screen means 4, so as to be viewed by oneor more persons spaced apart from the outer surface 9 of the screenmeans 4. The reflected imagery will be therefore viewed through theplurality of uniformly distributed and spaced apart transparent portions8 in the screen means 4. As discussed, the transparent portions 8 in thescreen means 4 are sufficiently small and are individuallyindistinguishable, at a viewing distance.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the accompany drawings, screen means 4 andmirror means 5 are shown substantially in parallel, spaced apart onefrom the other. As will be appreciated, the screen means 4 and mirrormeans 5 are fixedly mounted as at 6 within a housing or cabin 1 so as tobe fixedly mounted relative to each other. Projection means 20 areprovided either in association with an appropriate housing 1 or spacedapart rearwardly from the rear surface 5b of the mirror means 5, so asto project imagery towards the screen simulator arrangement. Anyappropriate projection means can be used to advantage.

The screen means 4 is provided with a plurality of transparent portions8 (such as portions of transparent material) or holes or openingsextending therethrough. These transparent portions 8 are uniformlydistributed over the area of the screen means and are of a sufficientlysmall size as to be individually indistinguishable at a viewingdistance. The plurality of transparent portions 8 forms (on the innerscreen surface 7 of the screen means 4) a plurality of spaced apartscreen pixels 7a. Fixedly mounted in a position spaced apart inwardlyfrom, and facing the surface 7 of the screen means 4, is at least onemirror means 5 in the form of a mirror or reflective material having areflective surface on at least the inner surface thereof. A plurality ofholes or openings 10 are provided and extending through the mirror means5 so that on the inner surface of the mirror means (facing inwardlytowards the screen surface 7 of the screen means 4), a plurality ofmirror pixels 5a are formed or provided.

The screen and mirror means 4, 5, are so mounted relative to each otherthat the transparent portions 8 of the screen means 4 and openings orholes 10 of the mirror means are substantially out of register. Thisresults in the inwardly facing screen pixels 7a of the screen means 4being in substantial alignment or register with the holes or openings 10extending through the mirror means 5.

As referred to above, projection means 20 are provided and on actuationthereof, light and imagery therefrom will extend towards the rearsurface 5a of the mirror 5, to pass through the openings or holes 10therein, to appear on the screen pixels 7a on the inner surface 7 of thescreen means 4. The imagery appearing on the screen pixels 7a and light,will be then reflected by the inner mirror surfaces or reflectivesurfaces (mirror pixels) 5a of the mirror means 5 to be viewed throughthe plurality of illuminated, uniformly distributed and spaced aparttransparent portions 8 in the screen means 4, from a position `A` spacedfrom an outer surface 9 of the screen means 4 so as to present simulatedsituations or happenings.

In a preferred form of the invention the screen means 4 and mirror means5 are flat and spaced apart parallel one from the other.

It should also be appreciated that the transparent portions 8 betweenthe screen pixels 7a and the holes or openings 10 in the mirror means 5must be sufficiently small and so distributed, as to be indiscernible tothe eyes, so that the illumination of individually reflected pixelsappears as a single, coherent image at virtual infinity, when viewed forexample from position `A` spaced from the outer surface 9 of the screenmeans 4.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings, the arrangement ofthe present invention includes at least one curved concave mirror 5, theconcave surface 25 facing inwardly towards the inner screen surface 7 ofthe screen means 4. It has been found that the use of such a concavemirror surface 25, as shown by way of example in FIG. 2 of the drawings,substantially enhances the depth of imagery and infinity as shown by wayof example in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings, in this form ofthe invention a curved mirror 5 of a substantially convex configurationis provided, the convex surface 26 facing inwardly towards the innerscreen surface 7 of the screen means 4. Again, this has been found toenhance substantially the depth of imagery, according to the presentinvention.

In further forms of the invention it is envisaged that a plurality ofmirror means and/or curved mirror means can be provided to furtherenhance the depth of imagery and to place imagery at virtual infinity,in whatever direction is required. By way of example only, the generallyconcave mirror surface 25 shown in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawingswill enhance the depth of imagery to the extent that the imagery willappear at substantially the position "X" shown in FIG. 2 of thedrawings. In a further form of the invention however, as shown by way ofexample only, with reference to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the use of aconvex mirror surface 26 will cause the imagery to appear as showngenerally by way of example only, at substantially the position "Y"shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

In further forms of the invention a plurality of curved mirrors and/orgenerally flat parallel mirrors can be provided, to further enhance thedepth of imagery and the positioning of the imagery.

Utilising the features of the present invention, and in particulartaking into account the advantages and features of the screen and one ormore mirrors being in parallel one with the other, the invention permitsthe construction of a simulator window that enhances realism, by makingit impossible for viewers to see beyond the framing edges of the screenand/or mirrors. In other words, it is impossible to see beyond theframing edges, to the image generating equipment beyond it. This thenavoids degrading the imagery and restricts the imagery to the bounds ofthe viewing window and/or screen. This is a particular advantage of thepresent invention.

The present invention provides a substantial advance in screen simulatorarrangements, which overcomes problems associated with such screensimulator arrangements known up until this time. In particular, thefixed location of the screen means 4 and one or more mirror means 5 insubstantial parallel, provides substantial advances over the previouslyknown arrangements. In particular those that involve moving screens andparts. The present invention provides for far greater flexibility of useand the display of imagery at greater and more varying depths of vision.

The invention has been described by way of example only and improvementsand modifications may be made to the invention without departing fromthe scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A screen simulator arrangement including spaced apart screenmeans adapted to allow viewing of imagery and one or more mirror meansadapted to cause partial reflection of imagery; said screen means beingformed with a plurality of spaced apart transparent portions thereinproducing a distribution of screen pixels in said screen means; saidmirror means including at least one curved mirror and being formed orprovided with a plurality of holes or openings therein, producing aplurality of reflective portions in said mirror means; said screen meansand said mirror means being fixedly mounted relative to each other; thetransparent portions of said screen means and the holes or openings ofsaid mirror means being substantially out of register one with theother; an inner screen surface of said screen means and a reflectivesurface of said mirror means generally facing inwardly towards eachother; said transparent portions of said screen means and said holes oropenings of said mirror means being so out of register one with theother, such that said screen pixels of said screen means are insubstantial alignment/register with holes or openings in said mirrormeans; the arrangement being such that a projector spaced apart from anouter surface of said mirror means projects images at said outer surfacethereof, and through said holes or openings therein, so that imagerywill appear on said screen pixels of said screen means in substantialalignment/register with said holes or openings in said mirror means;said imagery being so reflected by said reflective portions of saidmirror means, so as to be viewable through said transparent portions insaid screen means, from a position spaced apart from an outer surface ofsaid screen means.
 2. A screen simulator arrangement including spacedapart screen means adapted to allow viewing of imagery and one or moremirror means adapted to cause partial reflection of imagery; said screenmeans being formed with a plurality of spaced apart transparent portionstherein producing a distribution of screen pixels in said screen means;said mirror means being formed or provided with a plurality of holes oropenings therein, producing a plurality of reflective portions in saidmirror means; said screen means and said mirror means being fixedlymounted relative to each other; the transparent portions of said screenmeans and the holes or openings of said mirror means being substantiallyout of register one with the other; an inner screen surface of saidscreen means and a reflective surface of said mirror means generallyfacing inwardly towards each other; said mirror means including at leastone concave mirror means having a concave surface facing inwardlytowards said inner screen surface of said screen means; said transparentportions of said screen means and said holes or openings of said mirrormeans being so out of register one with the other, such that said screenpixels of said screen means are in substantial alignment/register withholes or openings in said mirror means; the arrangement being such thata projector spaced apart from an outer surface of said mirror meansprojects images at said outer surface thereof, and through said holes oropenings therein, so that imagery will appear on said screen pixels ofsaid screen means in substantial alignment/register with said holes oropenings in said mirror means; said imagery being so reflected by saidreflective portions of said mirror means, so as to be viewable throughsaid transparent portions in said screen means, from a position spacedapart from an outer surface of said screen means.
 3. A screen simulatorarrangement including spaced apart screen means adapted to allow viewingof imagery and one or more mirror means adapted to cause partialreflection of imagery; said screen means being formed with a pluralityof spaced apart transparent portions therein producing a distribution ofscreen pixels in said screen means; said mirror means being formed orprovided with a plurality of holes or openings therein, producing aplurality of reflective portions in said mirror means; said screen meansand said mirror means being fixedly mounted relative to each other; thetransparent portions of said screen means and the holes or openings ofsaid mirror means being substantially out of register one with theother; an inner screen surface of said screen means and a reflectivesurface of said mirror means generally facing inwardly towards eachother; said mirror means including at least one substantially convexmirror means, having a convex surface facing inwardly towards said innerscreen surface of said screen means; said transparent portions of saidscreen means and said holes or openings of said mirror means being soout of register one with the other, such that said screen pixels of saidscreen means are in substantial alignment/register with holes oropenings in said mirror means; the arrangement being such that aprojector spaced apart from an outer surface of said mirror meansprojects images at said outer surface thereof, and through said holes oropenings therein, so that imagery will appear on said screen pixels ofsaid screen means in substantial alignment/register with said holes oropenings in said mirror means; said imagery being so reflected by saidreflective portions of said mirror means, so as to be viewable throughsaid transparent portions in said screen means, from a position spacedapart from an outer surface of said screen means.